Trump Agonistes –> Rethinking Trump

We’re now slightly past the six-month mark of the Trump Administration, and the view from politicalwoman here in the Midwest and Middle America is that Trump has three problems:

The Left – comprised of radical Democrats who’ve high-jacked the party in the name of socialism’s meme, “equality in poverty;” embittered Democrats a.k.a., Obamabots and Hillary worshipers; the MSM media, led by WaPo and the NYT who have lost any sense objective journalism, and have been turned into shells of themselves; and the “Soros crowd” the globalists within DC’s State Dept and Intel community, coupled with the Silicon Valley oligarchs who live in gated, protected communities while preaching diversity and inclusion to the rest of us.

The Republican Party – the party that has been given the dream gift of controlling more governorships and state legislatures than ever before, as well as the Senate and the House, but are squandering every opportunity to support a duly-elected president, as well as take take the lead on reforming legislation and making good on campaign promises because they’re either beholdened to the special interest and/or lack the spine to tell the Democrats, “take a long walk off a short pier”.

Donald Trump – for every important, sweeping speech that he gives, beginning with his address before Congress, to his European tour of Poland and other countries, his clear vision for an America as an economic powerhouse where the rule of law is for everyone, is constantly overshadowed by his maniacal tweets, which further fuel the hatred and contempt of problems #1 and #2.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions (Chip Somodevilla (Getty)

In the last two weeks, we’ve seen three senior Administration officials face the wrath of Trump. First, Attorney General Jeff Sessions felt the brunt of Trump displeasure. Jeff Sessions, former Republican Senator from Alabama, was one of the first major US senators of standing to back Trump. His backing gave Trump and his campaign the much needed credibility in the early months, when most of America, let alone the media, were saying, “huh?” Jeff Sessions, a law-and-order/laws are for everyone attorney general, he’s been a driving force in the recent upswing in enforcement of immigration laws on the books, targeting MS-13 and restoring the Justice Department from its role as “political enforcer” to one of prosecuting those who commit crimes against the US.

Trump’s public denigration of Sessions for supposedly not pursuing an investigation into Hillary Clinton was unprofessional and not worthy of the office of the President. Trump indicated via his top aides in November 2016 that he was not interested in pursuing a Clinton investigation. Yet, now as Trump is self-immersed in the Russian collusion allegations, he’s turning on the people and the movement that propelled him to the White House.

But Sessions, at least, is on the outside of the White House looking in. He doesn’t have to deal with the day-to-day chaos which this Administration has embodied these last six months.

President Trump and Reince Preibus at White House Chief of Staff swearing in (Carlos Barria-Reuters)

With the hiring by Trump, of Anthony “the Mooch” Scaramucci as White House Communications Director, we witnessed the “expletive deleted” New York Times interview take-down of then White House Chief of Staff, Reince Priebus, the supposed “leaker” of White House conversations and documents and the resignation of White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer. Spicer was frequently put in the untenable position of having to explain to the press Trump tweets on various topics that he himself only learned about after the tweet had been made. As for Priebus, who as chairman of the Republican Party walked the fine line of support and censure of the potential and then candidate Trump, against the rest of the, perhaps, more “qualified’ establishment field of candidates, he got the heave-ho, courtesy of “the Mooch” and loss of confidence from Trump coupled with White House disorder and infighting. Was the Trump hiring of Scaramucci to serve a purpose — Preibus persona non grata — and then become expendable. Politics is, after all, a Blood-sport.

Scaramucci himself, today, bit the dust courtesy of General John P. Kelly, former Homeland Security Director, and newly-minted White House Chief of Staff. Trump has a love of generals, perhaps because he thinks? knows? that they have a love of America versus the interests of one man. Kelly reportedly didn’t like the Scaramucci’s modus-operandi, and in an effort to regain control of a chaotic White House with numerous competing interests, Kelly’s first order of business was the de-clowning of the Communications office and its Director. At this point in time, the only direction the White House can go is up.

Kelly, lauded by both Democrats and Republicans alike, may be the only person who can save Donald Trump from himself, and thus put him back on the path toward fulfilling the tenets and promises that propelled him into the White House. Trump needs Kelly more than Kelly needs Trump.

General John P. Kelly and President Donald Trump (NYT)

General Kelly, is right now asserting his power in the White House including Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The Chief of Staff must know everything that that affects the President, his schedule, and any decision he makes. Trump’s smartest move during his administration was the appointment of Kelly, but ….

Will Trump listen to Kelly?

From the mid-west, middle-class, middle-of-the-road view of the White House, this administration and its accomplishments, or lack thereof, lies firmly on the shoulders of the President. Yes, you can point to the the Congressional RINOs, beginning with Speaker Ryan, and the self-serving Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, but the proverbial fact-of-the-matter lies with Trump, and his leadership to date.

This author questions how a man who ran a multi-billion dollar empire, with such educated, well-spoken, competent children, could be so thick and idiotic thus far, when it comes to running his Administration failing to repeal and replace Obamacare with a viable alternative. Trump, thus far, is viewed as mercurial, with flashes of brilliance, but undisciplined. Trump can accomplish his agenda, but he has to be brought into tow with his “eyes on the prize.” Kelly can be Trump’s muse, and may be the best decision Trump makes of his first? term in office.

The question becomes will we see the “Apprentice” Trump, all showman and reality TV host, or will be we see “Trump International”, the businessman who promised to “Make American Great Again.”